13 Things
by Crawling-through-ashes
Summary: It's after Bart's sped through his vows, and hundreds of eyes fixate on him, that Jaime freezes. His knuckles have gone white from clutching the piece of paper. He wants to grab Bart's hand and pull him aside, to escape from the prying eyes. He wants to whisper in private the things that are for Bart's ears only.


**A/N:** **I posted this on tumblr a little while ago. It's short but sweet! Please R&amp;R**

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It's after Bart's sped through his vows, and hundreds of eyes fixate on him, that Jaime freezes. His knuckles have gone white from clutching the piece of paper. He wants to grab Bart's hand and pull him aside, to escape from the prying eyes. He wants to whisper in private the things that are for Bart's ears only.

He darts a glance at the procession, where the Team, the League, and his family members are watching. Milagro meets Jaime's eyes. She grins to let him know that she's relishing his pain, as she taps the video camera in her hands.

Jaime stands there, his throat tensing up, when he turns back to Bart. His gaze is warm and reassuring. Jaime feels his muscles relax. He clears his throat, and begins nervously.

"When we fist met, you were thirteen years old. And here are thirteen things I love about you."

He pauses uncertainly, but Bart's grin widens, encouraging him to continue.

"1. I love your hair." Now that he's saying it aloud, he realizes how silly it sounds. Still, it's a bit late to rewrite his wedding vows. "I-I love your hair. How it's floppy and unkempt. How from a distance it looks brown, but up close, with the sun shining off it, I can see glints of red and bronze and copper woven in. More than that, I love how soft it is when I run my hands through it.

Uh, number 2. I love your eyes. Your irresistible Allen eyes. How they're a bright, luminous green, but with a faint ring of gold around the pupil. I love how they sparkle when you're happy, and how they shine when they're filled with tears.

3\. I love your lips. How they're subtle and soft and pink. I love when they melt against mine. I love when they form a genuine smile, not the fake ones you put on for show."

Jaime stops for a moment to look at Bart's face. His eyes are glossy with tears, but his lips are pulled into a wide, genuine smile. He looks so tempting, Jaime wants to kiss him right not. But he doesn't.

"4. I love how we copy each other's phrases, like crash and mode. How you try speaking Spanish back to me, but completely mispronounce _hermano_ and _cariño_.

5\. I love how you constantly steal my food, how the taste of Chicken Whizees lingers on your mouth when we kiss.

6\. I love the scars you keep hidden, because they're proof of what you are — a warrior and a hero," Jaime ducks his head, embarrassed, as he adds, "my hero."

"7. I love how we are different; how you are pale whereas I am tanned. How you're energetic whereas I'm withdrawn. How you're short and slim whereas I'm tall and—"

"—Wide?" Bart interrupts with a laugh, earning him a swat.

"8. I love how we are the same — how we fight crime, how we laugh together, how we both love Chicken Whizees,"

"How we're both guys," Bart adds, too quiet for anyone else to hear but Jaime, who is fighting a blush from his cheeks.

"9. I love how you always live in the present — well, for you it's the past," he stutters, "but, uh, I mean, I love how you always seize the moment.

10\. I love how you vibrate —" Jaime's voice falters at the sound of a high-pitched squeal that is unmistakably Cassie's, and a fit of cackling that is definitely Milagro's.

He cleared his throat once more, loud enough to silence the small outburst. "I love how you vibrate when you're excited," he finishes, casting his sister a withering glare.

"11. I love how you came to the past for me, knowing what I was, and what I was destined to become.

12\. I love you because thoughts of you were what kept me sane when I was on-mode.

13\. And lastly, I love you because—" but Jaime doesn't get to finish because Bart, unable to contain himself any longer, launches himself forward to tackle Jaime's lips with his own.

It's later, after Bart's scarfed down eight pieces of cake, only sharing a small bite with Jaime, and the after-party is finished, that they're lying in bed. Bart's face is nestled against Jaime's chest, when Jaime murmurs, "I love you because you saved me."

Their limbs are entwined and their figures curled up against the other, and even though Bart's already fast asleep, he must hear Jaime because he whispers, as if speaking from a dream, "we saved each other."

By this point Jaime's also been claimed by sleep, but he holds Bart tighter after that.


End file.
